Germany, Imperial. A Rare Schutztruppe Long Service Award Document to Unteroffizier Carl Karl Gerhard Belz, with Medal

(Besitzzeugnis zum Dienstauszeichnung III. Klasse). A rare Schutztruppe (“Protection Force”, encompassing the colonial troops for Germany’s African colonies) award document, constructed of off-white paper stock with black ink, featuring a handwritten dedication to “UNTEROFFIZIER CARL GERHARD BELZ”, a member of the Schutztruppe stationed in German South West Africa (primarily encompassing modern-day Namibia), aged 25 and a native of Neuhof, Fulda district, in recognition of nine years of meritorious service, issued in Berlin on 20 June 1907 and certified by the handwritten signature of an unidentified Major and stand-in Schutztruppe official, flanked by a clearly legible stamped seal of the Reichs-Kolonialamt (Imperial Colonial Office) Kommando der Schutztruppen (Commander of the Schutztruppe), measuring 21 cm (w) x 33 cm (h), retrieved from the recipient’s estate with an accompanying Württemberg Long Service Award, III Class for 9 Years, constructed of blackened magnetic iron, on loop for suspension from a period substitute Prussian-issue Long Service Award ribbon, unmarked, measuring 31.48 mm in diameter, weighing 11.7 grams, with minor material fatigue visible to the document, an interesting and rare lot to a member of Germany’s colonial troops in overall extremely fine condition.